At least 87 people were injured, some of them seriously, after a ferry which was carrying 121 passengers and four crew members collided Saturday just after noon with possibly a whale off Sado Island in Japan.

The ferry, which departed from Honshu's Niigata Port. It was a huge impact. The marine animal caused a 6-inch crack at the ferry’s stern. The boat's hydrofoil wings were also damaged in the collision. Ferry operator Sado Steam Ship Co. said in a statement that the jetfoil ferry reached its destination in Ryotsu port despite the incident, without outside help.

A such vessel travels at around 80kph. The cause of the accident was under investigation. Mink and humpback whales are currently migrating through the Sea of Japan.Mink whales males measure an average of 6.9 m (23 ft) and females 8 m (26 ft) in length, respectively. Both sexes typically weigh 4–5 tons. The maximum swimming speed of minkes has been estimated at 38 km/h (24 mph). In some cases they may live for up to 60 years. Such accidents are not common bt can happen because whales can unexpectedly appear and change direction.00